What I Learned When Only One Person Came to My Workshop

If you’ve ever run a workshop or free event and barely anyone showed up… you’re not alone.

But did it REALLY?

It happened to me. In fact, one person came to my live workshop. One. 😅

I wanted 100 sign-ups.

I got 40.

And when I hit “Start Meeting” on Zoom, only one person showed up.

But here’s the thing…

It wasn’t a flop.

It was actually one of the most valuable lessons I’ve had since starting Fizzy Ginger.

So if you’re building a business, trying to grow your audience, or launching a new offer — this post is for you. I’m sharing the three biggest lessons I learned from that “flop” so you can feel a little less alone (and a lot more resilient).

1. One person isn’t a failure — it’s an opportunity

Let’s start here.

I ran a full launch campaign, invested in Facebook ads, emailed my list, and 40 people signed up. On the day, only one person showed up live.

At first, I was gutted. But I took a breath, shook off the self-doubt, and decided to show up like the room was full.

And you know what? That one person was fully engaged, asked questions, and stayed until the very end.

They also became a paying client.

Which means… I had a 100% live conversion rate.

Small numbers can still be powerful.

Whether it’s your email list, social followers, or event attendees — every human being in your audience matters.

2. Marketing in 2025 has changed — drastically

This experience taught me something I’m seeing across the board:

marketing in 2025 is slower, more sceptical, and way more human.

People are tired. They’re overwhelmed. They’re cautious.

Even for free events like a workshop, building enough trust to get someone to show up takes a lot more time than it used to.

That means if you’re a solopreneur or freelancer trying to build your business or attract clients, your old launch timelines might not cut it anymore.

This isn’t a bad thing.

It means we get to:

• Slow down

• Show up more consistently

• Build real connection with our audience

No more fast-and-furious launches or big promises.

This is a long game.

And the ones playing it are the ones who’ll still be here in a few years.

3. Resilience is your superpower

Here’s the truth: resilience is not optional if you want to grow a sustainable business.

There will be moments where no one shows up. Where something flops. Where everything feels like it’s going backwards.

But how you respond in those moments? That’s what makes the difference.

For me, showing up to that empty Zoom room was a choice. I chose not to freak out.

(That’s literally my mantra now: don’t freak out.)

I recorded the session anyway. I turned it into content.

And I reminded myself: marketing is about people.

It’s not about vanity metrics.

It’s not about how big your launch looks.

It’s about how real your connection is.

Final Thoughts

If you’re building your business in 2025 and it feels harder than it used to — you’re not imagining it.

The world has changed.

The market has changed.

But the core of good marketing hasn’t: people connect with people.

So show up. Be human. Play the long game.

And when only one person shows up to your workshop — treat them like gold. You never know what might happen next.

I’ll be running that workshop again soon (with some new tweaks and learnings).

And hey — maybe next time, you’ll be the one who shows up live and becomes a client. 😉

P.S. Want to hear me tell this whole story in real time?

🎥 Watch the YouTube episode here